out, kerry is in. and chuck hagel, a republican, who you would think would be a bipartisan pick is under furnd. john kerry takes over today. will hillary clinton run for president. >> i don't know how else to say it but i'm going get back into my life again. this is going to be new for me. i don't know how i'm going to react to it, to be honest. >> reporter: senator kerry takes over. president obama's choice to run the pentagon is a different story. former senator chuck hagel, a vietnam veteran, took heavy fire from his own party. >> were you correct or incorrect when you said the surge would be the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in the country since vietnam? were you correct or incorrect? >> i'm not going to give you a yes or no answer on a lot of things. >> you refuse to answer that question. >> reporter: he was hammered by gop senators who said he was too tough on israel. he was talked to about referring to pro-israeli groups at the jewish lobby. >> i misstated. i've just been handed a note that i misspoke and said i supported the president's position on containment. >> r

days. republicans in the senate have blocked a vote on chuck hagel's nomination. and since congress is in recess for the president's day holiday, the next time the nomination can be taken up is a week from monday. president obama accused republicans of playing politics. but they deny it. >>> and also, senator frank lautenberg makes it official. he will not run for his current term. he is the oldest member of the senate. he will not seek a sixth term. that eliminates a primary battle between newark, new jersey, mayor, cory booker. he's announced his intent to run for the senate in december. >>> and rahm emanuel is reportedly considering a white house run in 2016. "the daily beast" says imew ema would run if hillary clinton does not. emanuel used to be president obama's chief of staff, in addition to working in the clinton white house, as well. we just had the inauguration. already, the chatter about 2016. >> throwing it in. >> it's always the next election. >> what's coming up next? >>> and what's coming up next for you guys is weather across our nation. light snow for western pennsylva

president obama's cabinet. kerry is in at state, clinton is out. and chuck hagel, a republican, who you would think would be hailed as a bipartisan pick, is under fire. senator john kerry takes the oath of office today as secretary of state, replacing hillary clinton who heads off to retirement with a big question still lingering, will she run for president? >> i don't know how else to say it but i'm going get back into my life again. this is going to be new for me. i don't know how i'm going to react to it, to be honest. >> reporter: senator kerry takes over after cruising through confirmation in the senate. president obama's choice to run the pentagon is a different story. former senator chuck hagel, a vietnam veteran, took heavy fire from members of his own party for his opposition to the 2007 troop surge in iraq. >> were you correct or incorrect when you said the surge would be the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in the country since vietnam? were you correct or incorrect? >> well, i'm not going to give you a -- a yes or no answer on a lot of things today. >> let the record sh

of chuck hagel tomorrow. some republicans say they'll vote no unless the white house provides more information on the benghazi attack. but hagel is expected to get the 60 votes needed for approval. >>> and there's a delay in the vote to confirm john brennan as head of cia. the top democratic lawmaker is demanding more details about deadly drone strikes against terror targets. last week, brennan defended the strikes in his confirmation testimony. but also said he welcomed more discussion on the controversial program. >>> meanwhile, the military has approved a new medal for members involved in drone strikes and cyber warfare. the new distinguished warfare medal outranks the bronze star, which is the fourth-highest medal for valor. and is usually awarded for heroic action on the battlefield. it recognizes the current realities of war. >>> another drug tunnel between the u.s. and mexico has been shut down. this one discovered in southern arizona. police say the crude, hand-dug tunnel is about 68 feet long and 2 feet wide. more than 1,200 pounds of pot was found inside. >>> with that, a

washington. thanks, tahman. >>> and more political news this morning. chuck hagel could be approved as defense secretary by the end of the week. on a partly line vote of 14-11, the committee has voted to send his nomination. it now appears there are enough votes to approve it. >>> chris kyle has been lied to rest in texas. family members and fellow s.e.a.l.s looked on as his motorcade moved for burial. he was shot by an iraq war vet earlier this month at a gun range. >>> millions of christians around the world observed the beginning of lent today. in one of his last official duties, pope benedict celebrates the ash wednesday mass at the vatican. it marks the first time the pope has been seen in public since his bombshell resignation announcement. his term will officially end the last day of the month, february 28th. >>> and bookies are taking big bets on who will be chosen as the next pope. marc ouellet is the favorite. >>> people in cape cod are still struggling to clean up from last week's monster blizzard. the storm also caused widespread beach erosion, washing away 20 feet to 30 fe

. thanks, tahman. >>> and more political news this morning. chuck hagel could be approved as defense secretary by the end of the week. on a party line vote of 14-11, the armed services committee has voted to send hagel's nomination, now, to the full senate. republicans had threatened to block the nomination. but it now appears there are enough votes to approve it. >>> former navy s.e.a.l. chris kyle has been laid to rest in texas. family members and fellow s.e.a.l.s looked on as his motorcade traveled through austin for burial. kyle was shot to death by an iraqi war vet earlier this month at a gun range. eddie routh has been charged with murdering kyle and his friend, chad littlefield. >>> pope benedict told ash wednesday worshipers he is resigning for the good of the roman catholic church. his service at the vatican this morning is among his last official duties as pope. and is the first time he's been in public since making his bombshell resignation announcement. some worshipers cheered when they saw benedict. his term officially ends february 28th. >>> and bookies are looking to m